


Butterfly Effect

by ImmortalHK



Series: Checker Knights [1]
Category: Kirby (Video Games)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21789253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImmortalHK/pseuds/ImmortalHK
Summary: Morpho sends souls on the brink of death to their judgement- at least, that is what he’s supposed to do.
Relationships: Galacta Knight/Morpho Knight
Series: Checker Knights [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599658
Comments: 7
Kudos: 75





	1. Chapter 1

Somewhere in the Gamble Galaxy, just on the outskirts of the shining planet Popstar, a little boy was floating in space. That little boy was on the brink of death. To a select few on the planet’s surface, that boy deserved to die.

Said little boy was Marx. A jester and a trickster, he manipulated the star warrior Kirby into activating the ancient clockwork comet NOVA. Marx used NOVA to grant his wish of controlling all of popstar. This wish was never granted, as the star warrior brought the selfish would-be-king to his end before his rule would even begin.

Somewhere in the Gamble Galaxy, just on the outskirts of the shining planet Popstar, Morpho was contemplating what to do with this dying boy. 

“Wake up, child. You have music to face.”

“Mmn… Don’ wanna…” Marx curled in on himself, not wanting to wake. Morpho held his cheek and the boy was wide awake. Brushing with death would do that. “W-wha!? Where- where’s NOVA? Wha’ happen’a my wish!?” Still groggy, Marx whipped his head around, his jester cap falling off in the process. 

“You lost your wish in a battle with the star warrior Kirby. You are about to die. I’m here to ferry you to your afterlife.”

“D-DIE!? Hey hey hey now-“

“You fell apart, it’s taking all of  _ my  _ energy to keep you from splitting in two now, boy. It is time for your judgement.”

“I… m’not goin’ anywhere good, huh?”

“It’s not likely.”

Marx grabbed his hat before it could float too far, and bunched it up in his hands. “I really died? That airhead  _ killed me? _ ”

Morpho didn’t answer.

“It’s not… that’s not  _ fair! _ All I wanted- I know what I did was  _ mean _ or whatever but I’m always getting left behind and ignored and  _ everyone  _ loved that stupid Kirby!! I just wanted everyone to pay attention to  _ me _ instead!! Now I’m gonna  _ die _ cause that dumb pink  _ jerk _ had to be a hero n make me the bad guy and why should Dedede be king anyway!? I’d do way better and- and-“

Marx’s words dissolved into sobs that he futilely tried to hide in his hat. Morpho thought he would be immune to the tears of the damned by now- but it was always so much harder when it was a child. Perhaps this brat deserved another chance.

“I’ll let you live-  _ only _ if you promise to apologize to Kirby and everyone else you caused trouble for, okay?”

“Huh? Why  _ should I!? _ Kirby killed me! That’s way worse than what I did!”

“You killed yourself you little-“ Morpho bit his tongue. “Very well.” He took the child by the top of the head and turned him towards the vastness of space. “ _ Just go. _ Reflect upon what you’ve done, and pray the stars have mercy on you.”

“ _ Fine _ ! W-wait-“

“ _ What?” _

“... have you seen my ball? It… helps me is all!”

Morpho forced himself to remember that this was a child. He tapped into Marx’s memory just long enough to materialize a colorful balance ball, and placed it in his arms. 

Marx started off into the void without another word. In mere minutes he would have no recollection of speaking to Morpho. He would think he simply blacked out after his battle, and his pride would keep him from sulking back to Popstar no doubt. Morpho hoped he had made the right decision.


	2. Chapter 2

Somewhere in an unnamed dimension, near the ruins of the once great Halcandra, a young man was floating in space. That young man was on the brink of death. To those who knew he was there, he deserved to die.

Said young man was Magolor. A liar and a wizard, he tricked the hero of Popstar into helping him obtain the Master Crown. He used that crown to gain ultimate power, with the goal of conquering the universe. The great star warrior put a stop to that, of course.

Morpho was fully aware of what judgment would look like for a power hungry monster like Magolor. He would burn for putting the universe in danger like this, so it was best to get it over with.

“Wake up! Your time has come.”

“Wha…?” Magolor slowly came back to consciousness. He glanced around as he pulled the points of his hood over his ears, blocking noise that wasn’t there. “Where? No- nonononono it wasn’t supposed to be this way I never wanted- get it  _ off me this wasn’t supposed to happen this way!!” _

Magolor flew into some kind of fit. This happened often- but it didn’t seem like he was trying to deny his death- he was fighting something that wasn’t there. Morpho intervened when Magolor clawed through his hood, if only to keep him from damaging his body further.

Morpho took hold Of Magolor’s arms and forced him to focus. “Listen to me. Do you know where you are? What happened to you?”

Magolor hyperventilated for a while, then steadied himself. This didn’t look like the behavior of a power hungry monster at all…

“I… was… I don’t remember…”

“ _ Try.” _

“I had the Master crown- I had  _ everything!  _ And then- I couldn’t control it. Why did I want it…?”

That was interesting. Morpho allowed Magolor to work through what had happened to him. It was rare for people to  _ not _ remember the things that lead to their deaths.

“I wanted… I wanted…”

Power? Money? Fame? What leads people to do such things. For the child he set free all that time ago, it was something as innocent as loneliness.

“I wanted to see my people.”

Oh. Yes. He was Halcandran, after all.

“I wanted to speak to the ancients, I wanted to see them and then- I wanted to restore Halcandra with the crown… I was on that ship for so  _ long. _ ”

“Thinking of what else that crown could do led to your downfall, didn’t it?” Morpho guided Magolor’s eyes back to his.

“I was a fool. I won’t be able to apologize, will I?”

Morpho didn’t respond. Magolor turned away. 

“... will my people be where I’m going?”

“You aren’t going anywhere.”

“ _ What?” _

“You want to apologize. I find that very refreshing.”

Magolor looked up at Morpho with wide, shocked eyes “you’ll let me make things up to Kirby!?”

“I’ll let you  _ live. _ In  _ return _ you will be ‘making things up’ to the heroes of dreamland. If you fail me I will take you to see those long dead ancients.”

Morpho was getting too used to doing this, perhaps. Still, he felt bad for the man. He had lost his senses trying to reclaim a piece of a home he would never be able to see. Maybe allowing him to find a new one would help him stay stable. And, perhaps, whatever agony the power of that crown had put him through was punishment enough.

“Oh, oh thank you! I won’t fail you, I promise!”

“Very good. I’ll leave now- we will meet again on the day of your death, make sure it isn’t soon.”

Morpho flitted out of sight, but did not leave. He watched as Magolor quickly forgot about Morpho’s very existence. He wandered towards his stolen ship- he likely would keep it, but Morpho chose to allow that. Magolor dazedly opened the door.

“I have to make things right. Lor! Set course for the Gamble Galaxy!”

Morpho couldn’t help but smile. He had made the right choice, sparing that one.


	3. Chapter 3

Somewhere in the Gamble Galaxy, in the orbit of the shining planet Popstar, a young Queen was floating in space. This young queen was on the brink of death. To those who were once under her rule, she deserved to die.

Morpho circled the woman carefully. She was still fitful it seemed, still finding the energy to twitch in agitation even so close to death. All it took was getting too close to wake her.

“What- What? Where am I? What happened… what happened to my BODY!?” She looked down at her short, spider-esque form and reeled as if trying to run away from it. “I was  _ BEAUTIFUL _ ! I was to be their  _ goddess  _ and then-and then!” She whirled towards Morpho and went straight for his neck, though it took almost no effort for him to keep her just out of reach. “I was beautiful! I was powerful! Taranza failed me! He! Taranza!” Her voice dissolved into sobs and growls as she made every attempt her weak body could at taking her anger out. Morpho felt something heavy settle in his heart, he could tell just by looking that something had gone  _ horribly  _ wrong with this woman. 

Still, he had a job to do, this fallen Queen had to face her judgment. Morpho held the girl steady and pressed his forehead to hers. She spoke softly as the last of her life slipped away.

“He hates me, doesn’t he? After all I did! Where did I go wrong? Why did I think-“ she broke off. She knew what happened very well, but couldn’t bring herself to speak it out loud.

“He doesn’t hate you, far from it.” Morpho allowed her to cling to him as she faded.

“Oh… To leave him like this! I truly am  _ ugly!” _

Morpho watched as the queen, The once mighty Sectonia, faded away into stardust. He never knew the full story of what happened to the souls he ferried, only what was most vital to their judgment. With the despair on Sectonia’s face as she faded, Morpho prayed that something in her past would make the stars have mercy on her.


	4. Chapter 4

Once again, another Brazen Knight was trying to battle with the legendary Galacta knight. It would likely end in this knight- Metal? Some such name- dying or close to death. It was standard now for Morpho to have to clean up after NOVA summoned it’s prized prisoner.

Morpho couldn’t keep watching this. He  _ shouldn’t  _ keep watching this. He should simply wait until the battle was over and collect the resulting soul. He couldn’t interfere, so there was no reason to come running the second He sensed Galacta’s presence. But he  _ did. _

Perhaps it was because Galacta was such an anomaly. The ancients, in sealing him away so he wouldn’t kill them, made it so Galacta could not die unless he himself was killed. He had lived far longer than the people he was made to protect, the very people who feared he would bring their downfall now had him as their last living legacy- him and a few ancestors that had no personal claims to fame, at least.

Or maybe it was because his battles were simply impressive. He fought with as much grace and elegance as he did with power and might. Even when he was clearly running on adrenaline and a need to move, to swing his lance, to feel alive, he moved like a dancer. All flashing Lance tips and white feathers.

Maybe Morpho simply hurt for the man. Living for so long, feeling nothing but emptiness and the occasional burst of white hot violence- only living when you’re fighting for your life- Morpho couldn’t imagine the agony.

While lost in thought, Morpho barely noticed that the tides of the battle had shifted. Meta seemed to have Galacta on the defense. That… wasn’t something he’d ever seen before.

Galacta looked completely out of his senses. Suddenly, he looked up at Morpho- he couldn’t have seen him, could he? The living couldn’t possibly see him- but was Galacta truly living?

Meta knight took that hesitation as his chance to take the final blow. Galacta did not look away as the gold blade impaled him.

NOVA was speaking now, congratulating Meta knight on his victory. It’s booming voice sounded distant as he watched Galacta being pulled towards NOVA. He resisted, trying to cling to the arena NOVA had made. He left deep marks in the ground as he was dragged up, and was quickly placed back in his pink crystal. Galacta never looked away.

There was no soul to collect that night.


	5. Chapter 5

Somewhere in a remote sanctuary, near Popstar, in the Gamble Galaxy, Galacta Knight was being summoned.

He was being faced against-

Who?

A child on a ball, a strange specimen of dark matter, two little girls, a small band of thieves-

The knight who took his title. Who stole the only thing he had.

Galacta knew he had finally been broken when he realized he no longer wanted that title back. 

Time was at once a thick jelly and quicksilver slipping through his hands. He didn’t want to fight, and he absolutely did  _ not  _ want to return to his prison. He wanted to fly, he wanted to spread his wings! He wanted to eat his fill of meat and bread and cake. He wanted to lie down in the sun and feel it warm his skin, he wanted his armor off so badly. He knew he could have  _ none  _ of this and he wanted that knight- that knight that he just  _ knew  _ could have  _ all _ of that whenever he wanted to, to stab that jagged blade right through his heart.

He’d never longed for death before and now he was  _ yearning  _ for it. Calling out to it, he’d  _ seen  _ it before, hadn’t he? What form did freedom take?

Perhaps it was… a butterfly?

Just on the tip of Galacta’s Lance was a small, yellow-red butterfly. Where had he seen this before?

“Don’t call for death, star warrior. It is not your time. You crave rest, I will give you that, just for a moment.”

That voice! So deep and calming, and it came with the vision of a man, a man with skin even darker than Galacta’s own brown complexion, with eyes as white and pure as the stars. He wore long red robes that complimented his messy orange hair and orange-red wings. Was this the true identity of that butterfly?

“You’re beautiful…” that was all Galacta could speak before he slipped away. Not into the restless stasis NOVA kept him in, but true, real sleep.

~~

This wasn’t a good idea. This was  _ very bad.  _ The living were not supposed to ever see Morpho.

But the thought of another person laying their hands on Galacta, who only wanted  _ freedom! _ It made Morpho  _ boil. _ He didn’t know why he cared so much for Galacta, so much so that he would break such an important rule, but it didn’t matter now. Meta knight had to pay.

“I won’t let you  _ touch him!!” _

The battle was fought with nothing but adrenaline and anger. Morpho hated to do it, but he had to sap some of Galacta’s power and knowledge to take the form of a knight. He might not mind, but it hurt to rob from someone he was protecting.

Oh how he wanted to protect him. Living in stasis, unable to die! Why did Morpho ever wonder why he cared? They existed on the same plane. Morpho could not die because he wasn’t alive. Galacta could not die because he was cursed to be NOVA’s gambling chip by the ancients. Morpho could not end someone before their time, but he could do whatever he could,  _ whenever  _ he could, to make Galacta’s time easier. Even if that time stretched on into infinity. Even if it meant taking on every foolish, brazen,  _ horrible monster in Knight’s armor _ that drew their blade at him!

Even with Galacta’s power, Morpho was unskilled at combat. He fell. He didn’t care. Galacta was still safe and asleep. He would wake in his prison, and there was nothing Morpho could do about it, but for now at least, Galacta could dream of the sun on his skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t hate MK but I can’t see Morph or Gala liking him at all at this stage and that’s kinda........ on him fhfhgjgjv
> 
> I really wanted to write this scene, I don’t think I did it justice and might revisit it a while from now but hey hey hey for now it’s done


	6. Chapter 6

Galacta never got to thank that butterfly.

Galacta stewed in anger as he waited in his prison for days, weeks,  _ millennia _ . That man gave Galacta the most wonderful taste of freedom he’d felt in his entire life. If he focused, he could remember the dream he had, flying over some beautiful beach on some warm, lovely planet. He wasn’t in his clunky, uncomfortable armor. He was wearing something loose and short, so he could feel the wind on his skin and wings, truly soak in the sun.

He could still see it. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t rid himself of the feeling of crystal encasing his wings. He couldn’t escape his prison even in a daydream.

Where was that butterfly now? Did he think Galacta ungrateful? His only words to him were “you’re beautiful.” How ridiculous! And NOVA didn’t even have the decency to allow him to apologize for saying something so familiar so quickly. NOVA didn’t have to decency to call off the summoning altogether and spare his savior the fight. Did he get hurt? Surely he didn’t lose… but what if he did? What if someone so kind and self sacrificing and  _ good _ got hurt protecting the former greatest warrior in the universe.

If Galacta could shake he would be  _ vibrating  _ with how much he wanted to bolt. And then he realized he  _ was _ . That man was still out there somewhere. He was out there and he had no idea how grateful Galacta was. Galacta had to see him again. Had to thank him and protect him as he had protected Galacta! NOVA would  _ not  _ make an ingrate out of him!

Galacta gripped his lance. He willed himself to  _ move. _ White hot anger flooded his veins and every muscle in his body was straining past its limits. He would shatter this crystal and he would do it  _ now. _ Suddenly, when he felt close to passing out, his arm broke free, then his leg, then  _ finally  _ his lance arm and the alarms were so  _ loud _ !

NOVA was wailing about errors and frantically trying to encase Galacta again but it was far too late. Galacta was free and had dragged his lance through that awful behemoth the second he could properly flap his wings.

It would come back, but it would no longer have it’s prisoner.

Galacta struck out. He flew through the stars with one goal, find and thank his savior.

~~

Morpho’s job gave him a lot of information he’d never do anything with. He was so many soul’s last outlet, many people simply wanted to lament about how they died.

Morpho was starting to piece together a story though.

Vile people- murderers and thieves who stole from the poor, business owners who abused their workers, villains with no interest in redemption,  _ many  _ of these people were claiming to have been killed by a very similar warrior.

A warrior clad in pink- which set off bells, but these incidents were too far from Gamble to be  _ that _ pink warrior.

It took time, but Morpho was starting to put together the puzzle. A pink knight with white wings and magenta eyes known as the Aeon Hero. It  _ had  _ to be him. Morpho promised paradise to some of the monsters he ferried in exchange for the Knight’s location. He would try to moralize it, he didn’t like lying, but did these people deserve to be worried over? There were more important things to think about.

It took too much time and too many detours to take care of his ridiculously depressing job, but Morpho found him. On planet Remdra, in the starshake galaxy, far away from  _ anything  _ really. It was a simple little grass ball, and the sun was setting on the land Galacta was resting on. It was a pretty sight.

Morpho hid and tried to make sure he had the right person. His armor was shiny and new, with gold trim lacing the majority of it. His horns looked longer, and his wings were bigger and a much brighter white than when Morpho last saw him. He was different, but there was no mistaking it. This was the Aeon Hero. This was Galacta Knight.

Morpho didn’t even think about the rule he was breaking, about the work he was neglecting or how stupid this was, he landed and called for Galacta.

“Galacta Knight! I’ve finally found you!!”

Galacta swiveled around, lance drawn, fully prepared for a fight. Morpho knew then that he’d made a mistake, it was ridiculous to just  _ shout  _ at someone who’s been through so much but the relief of finally seeing him again and seeing him  _ free  _ and  _ safe! _ Morpho forced himself to stop. Allow Galacta to gather himself.

He looked Morpho in the eyes and dropped his lance.

“It’s you… it’s really you.” He tore off his mask and rushed to take Morpho’s hands, astonishment in his eyes and his shockingly smooth voice. He looked close to tears. “I’ve been searching for you since I freed myself! I never got to thank you for what you did. You gave me the strength I needed to break out, the dream you gave me  _ saved my life! _ Thank you. From the bottom of my soul,  _ thank you! _

Morpho could barely believe this was happening. 

“G-Galacta- or do you go by Aeon now? I did what I did because what you were going through was  _ wrong. _ You don’t have to thank me so much!” Morpho could barely look at him. The strongest warrior, the gilded hero of so many planets, heaping thanks onto him, who brought only death. It felt  _ wrong. _

“If not for you, I would still be under NOVA’s thumb.  _ Thank you _ . Oh, Stars I don’t even know your-“

“Morpho. It’s Morpho.”

“ _ Morpho. _ I owe you my life.”

I’ll have it one day, Morpho thought, suddenly feeling sick. What a horrible thought. Best to steer away from it.

“Did you realize your dream? Have you basked in the sun? I caught a glimpse of your thoughts when I put you to sleep- it wasn’t voluntary! I’m not that kind of person but I hope… I hope you’re happy.” Morpho forced himself to look at Galacta. He suddenly looked almost sheepish.

“I wasn’t lying when I told you I’ve been searching for you since I was free. I’m finally able to remove this damn armor, but that fantasy of finding a warm sunny planet and laying in the grass in shorts is still on my bucket list.” He laughed, soft and shy and genuine. “I decided I don’t deserve it until I thank you for all you’ve done. Maybe now I can make my way to a beach.”

“You should have done it! Don’t hold me in such high regard I’m a  _ reaper!  _ I exist to kill! You shouldn’t even be thinking of me, I shouldn’t have come here, I wanted to make sure you were okay, but I’m not-“ Morpho stopped himself and took a steadying breath. “I’m not worth thinking about, Galacta. I’m not a savior. I helped you out of selfishness and false camaraderie. I thought we were the same, living half-lives, unable to truly die, but you are leaps above what I could ever hope to be and-“

Galacta placed his hands on Morpho’s shoulders. “You’re telling me you really are death?”

Morpho shrunk a bit under Galacta’s gaze. “‘Death’ isn’t one being. It is a process with many different entities doing different jobs. My job is to take those who are dying to judgment, I’m not the only one, of course…”

This news seemed to calm Galacta down somehow. “Your job is to take dying people away and you went out of your way to save me?”

“I told You, I deluded myself into thinking we were the same.”

“Are you happy?”

“...what?”

“Doing what you do. Does it make you happy?”

Morpho was thrown. Galacta was certainly a… strange man.

“It isn’t a matter of whether or not I’m happy. My job is difficult and often upsetting but it’s what I was born for. I took a detour to help you, and I’m taking another to check on you but my eternity will be that and only that.”

“You’re trapped.” Galacta frowned, his grip on Morpho’s hands tightening.

“Oh. It’s not like what you’ve been through at all, we still aren’t the same-“

“But you’re still being forced to do something you hate by a higher power. When was the last time you got to feel the sun on your wings, Morpho?”

“I…. don’t recall.” Never.

“Come with me.”

Morpho couldn’t have heard that correctly.

“ _ What? _ ”

“Come with me! Someone will replace you, Nothing will change but your happiness! We can live out that fantasy together! No more fighting or death or  _ imprisonment! _ Neither of us has to be trapped!”

Galacta could truly sweep you up in his words. He was smiling, bright and hopeful but with an underlying conviction that showed he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Morpho didn’t want to say no anyway.

“You don’t understand. Yes, I’ll be replaced but who knows what problems will be caused in the meantime! And I’m- I’m not very strong. I had to borrow your power to hold my own against your attacker when I saved you and I  _ still  _ lost!”

“ _ Meta Knight hurt you? _ ”

“I’m  _ fine.”  _ Morpho took note of how quickly Galacta reacted to that. “But I’m not fit to travel with you.”

“I’ll protect you!”

“I’ll drag you down.”

Galacta waved his other hand and a bright pink rapier with a heart shaped handle appeared. He put it in Morpho’s hands as he spoke. “I’ll train you. You have all the makings of an incredible knight, and if need be I’ll absolutely let you take as much of my power as you need.”

“Don’t say that, I could never steal from you again-“

“Then let me teach you! Morpho, I have to repay you somehow. And I don’t want to say goodbye so soon, I know if you leave you’ll never seek me out again.”

“As if I could possibly forget you…” 

Morpho was about to make an incredibly foolish decision. He would be a disgrace to his superiors, he could cause who knew how much trouble, he was making a  _ mistake. _

“Take me with you, Aeon Hero.”

The smile that split across Galacta Knight’s face was worth disgracing his own name a million times over. Morpho found himself smiling as well, lightweight and giddy and suddenly full of  _ life. _

_ “Oh. You’re still beautiful. _ ”

Morpho let out a little “eh?” Still high on the fact that this was  _ happening. _

“I never, apologized? For calling you beautiful when we first met- it was dumb, I should have thanked you  _ then  _ and it would have saved us both grief. You just- reminded me of that.”

Morpho could feel himself burn. “That’s nothing to apologize for,  _ thank you. _ You’re…” stunning, wonderful, more than someone like me could ever possibly deserve. “Very pretty yourself?”

Galacta laughed. “It’s all the gold. Come! I know where we should go, a spot in the Gamble Galaxy. We might get Hassled, but I hear the views are worth it.” He fanned out his wings and jumped, Morpho following suit. 

When they were out of the planet’s orbit, Galacta struck the space in front of them and opened up a gateway to the planet Popstar. It already looked beautiful. The two made their decent swiftly, all too excited to enjoy a day at the beach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn’t supposed to be a ship fic but here we are.  
> Also yeah Kirby clash isn’t canon Aeon Hero Not Real But I don’t...... care.


End file.
